The Football Association is concerned that England’s World Cup training ground in Kansas City lacks sufficient privacy and plans to erect protective fences to prevent rivals from spying on the team, following the spygate scandal that saw Southampton expelled from the Championship playoff final.
England will use Swope Soccer Village, home to Sporting Kansas City’s academy teams, after Argentina secured the first-choice facility at Sporting Kansas City’s performance centre. The training ground is a 20-minute drive from the team’s hotel.
The FA will add an outdoor gym and a players’ lounge to the facility, but the open nature of the site requires extra security measures. Head coach Thomas Tuchel acknowledged the risk, saying: “It can be overlooked. We will have security there and build a bit of protection.”
Tuchel emphasised the importance of privacy for matchday-minus-one training, including set pieces and penalties. “You don’t want the opponent to know,” he added.
England arrive at their World Cup base on 13 June and will fly in and out of Kansas City for all matches, starting against Croatia in Dallas on 17 June. The squad includes Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri, Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, Fulham’s Josh King, Liverpool’s Rio Ngumoha, and Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele as training keeper.
